Interview Feedback.

fatboypee

Hello,

Just canvassing opinion really. I went for an interview there last week, got on great I thought, fantastic position, a dare-to-dream fit for me, got feedback from the recruiter that ", everything ultra positive, excellent technically, really good, then BUT...it was a toss of a coin and it didnt come down in your favour"...

Now, I can live with rejection for the most part but I really wanted this one and really thought it was me and I just don't buy the "toss of a coin" bit. If I screwed up, or wasn't what they were looking for, I really would like to know so I can understand and improve.

Will be moving on, but wondering, what the consensus would be on dropping the guys who interviewed me a line looking for feedback ? Is it a NO NO ? Nothing left to lose on it but don't wanna come across badly. Simply love to know what it was that swayed against me and I'm too long in the tooth to trust recruiters to not tell me what I want to hear..

What do you think ?

Thanks

FBP.

highlydebased

You should definitely ask for the feedback. Generally recruiters are happy to provide it. As you say it's important to be able to understand why you didn't get the job in specific and if there is anything you can do to improve your chances the next time.

Unre4L

Just out of interest, was it an IT position for a Bank?

Eoin

There is no harm at all in asking for feedback. But you may well just get an excuse for the real reason that they don't want to get into with the candidate. That could be because it was very subjective or a gut feeling ("didn't think he'd fit in"), or something they'd definitely not want to say to someone for legal reasons.

Or it could be truthful, just not that helpful for future roles. That maybe there was just one particular skill or bit of experience that someone else had that was very unique to the role or company that swayed their decision.

Anyway, like I said, there's nothing to lose.

First off - go through the recruiter unless the interviewer expressly told you that you could contact them; few hiring managers want uninvited contact from an unsuccessful candidate.

Thank them for their time; say that as this was a role that you're very much interested in, you'd very much appreciate any areas for improvement should any future roles become available in their organisation etc.

seamus

Eoin wrote: »

First off - go through the recruiter unless the interviewer expressly told you that you could contact them; few hiring managers want uninvited contact from an unsuccessful candidate.

This. Where you're dealing with a HR department or a recruiter, no interviewer will ever give you feedback, written or oral. The chances of a candidate coming back and suing are too great, and the interviewer would lose their job.

Most people would probably feel that asking the interviewer directly for feedback is either cheeky or is very ignorant of etiquette. I know in the US it's seen as a smart move to talk to the interviewer and get your profile up there, but it's not the same here, it's a bad idea.

When you speak to the recruiter, you're entitled to request a copy of every record they hold on you, including interview feedback. Obviously don't state it as formally as that, just say you want to know what the feedback was so you know where you need to improve.

fatboypee

Thanks all for the input and comment Food For thought, as they say and very much appreciated, all of it sensible and to the point.

F.B.P

Stanford

Seamus you wrote the following in relation to interview feedback

"When you speak to the recruiter, you're entitled to request a copy of every record they hold on you, including interview feedback. Obviously don't state it as formally as that, just say you want to know what the feedback was so you know where you need to improve"

I am in the same position, is there any legal basis that says you are entitled to interview feedback?

Thanks

S.

Eoin

It would be covered under the data protection act.

Jim2007

Eoin wrote: »

It would be covered under the data protection act.

Where exactly? The obligation under the DPA is to provide details of any information you hold, but to the best of my knowledge the is no obligation to retain any specific data relating to the recruiting process.

The general obligation under the DPA is to collect and retain data that is necessary for the operation of the business. Once the recruiting decision is made the obligation would be to destroy data relating to the unsuccessful candidates as it is not needed for the operation of the business...

Eoin

I didn't say that they have to retain it though. If they did, then you're entitled to it, no?

Jim2007

Eoin wrote: »

I didn't say that they have to retain it though. If they did, then you're entitled to it, no?

You might want to be a bit more specific in your answers then...

Stanford wrote: »

I am in the same position, is there any legal basis that says you are entitled to interview feedback?

Eoin wrote: »

It would be covered under the data protection act.

Oh and just because they retain it, does not mean you are entitled to a copy either! The DPA is not some kind of magic wand.

Eoin

No need for all the pedantry - Seamus had already said the following:

"When you speak to the recruiter, you're entitled to request a copy of every record they hold on you, including interview feedback"

Irish_Elect_Eng

There is another approach that you could take.

It worked once for me, but "your mileage may vary"

If you have a direct contact within the company, preferable the hiring manager. Send them a letter,

• Thanking them for the opportunity to interview for the position.
• Confirm that you remain very interested in the role that you interviewed for.
• Perhaps comment on some aspects of the company that match your career plan or outlook, a little flattery / alignment is useful in building rapport.
• Ask then how you can prepare for any similar future roles within the company. * Feedback.
• Provide direct contact details if they only contacted you through a recruitment agency.

It may also help if there was a topic of conversation of mutual interest or relevant to the role, in this case mention it, perhaps providing a link to an interesting article.

If you get a response follow-up, perhaps moving on to a LinkedIn invite or other contact, use the interview as a means to build a network of people, who will remember your name when the next role comes up.

Recruiting is expensive and a sometimes painful process, try to put yourself in the position that someone in your expanding network just gives you a call to see if you are available/interested in a role that came up rather than going to an agency. They get to go to sencond interview straight away win-win.